The fight between Princess Stella and Emperor Valerian started.
No one could interrupt or intercept, not because they couldn't find the right way to strike, but simply because what they were seeing in front of their eyes was too much for them.
It wasn't a simple battle, but rather a battle between two people with great power and control over their own magic.
Emperor Valerian De Casuevo was born with two attributes of magic: Dark magic and Chrono magic. Because he had Dark magic, he was neglected as a child, since Dark magic represented evil in this world.
Though Valerian hated his own magic, it all changed when he met a carefree adventurer who simply changed his life.
Princess Stella Cynthia Yekosta Vasiliou. It was around their teenage years when they accidentally met. The young Valerian at that time had accidentally drifted from the shore of Nexus.
"Urgh." Valerian groaned, feeling pain all over his body, especially in his head.
"Where am I?" He pushed himself up from the sand only to see an unfamiliar and strange territory.
"Did our ship capsize..?" He looked behind to see the wide ocean.
He then flipped to lay down and looked up at the sky. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the criticism he had received from his family and his own people.
Because of his genetics, Valerian had white eyes, and when combined with his Dark magic, it made him look strange and eerie. That was why, even though he was the elder sibling in their family, he wasn't given the right to be heir to the throne.
"You're a mistake, Vale. Because of you, your mother also died."
"Don't you think Prince Valerian is weird?"
"Right? Even the Emperor doesn't want anything to do with him."
"He's plain creepy! It seems like he could use Dark magic… which is strange, because none of the Imperial Family could use it."
"I bet the late empress cheated on the Emperor." the maid snickered.
"Hah! That would explain why the prince has such strange features." the maid laughed.
From behind the corridor, there stood Valerian, his gaze lowered.
"I can hear all of you, you know," he mumbled. Then he left without saying anything else, because it wouldn't do him any good.
Later, the Emperor ordered him to go to the neighboring kingdom to check their territory since Tartagalia was planning another attack. And that was the last thing he remembered before they encountered a storm along the ocean.
"Hello—"
"I guess the storm destroyed our fleet, huh…" he thought. He placed his arm over his eyes to rest.
"Uhm… hello?—"
"It would be great if I didn't exist," Valerian mumbled.
"Why do you think so?" A voice so soft and calm in his ears spoke.
Valerian jolted at the sudden sound and slowly opened his eyes. The light was blinding, but what was more blinding were the girl's soft blue eyes staring down at him upside down. Her face looked perfect, as if he could stare at it all day and never get tired. Her light brown hair was braided neatly behind her back. Though it wasn't a common color, it suited her.
Valerian didn't know how long he had been staring, nor how long he was holding his breath. Slowly, he calmed his nerves down and did not stand up. He only narrowed his eyes when the girl's lips parted, still staring at him.
"Who are you?" Valerian asked.
The girl tilted her head, then slowly straightened up. She looked at Valerian lying there in the sand like a washed-up pirate.
"I'm from this kingdom. And you?" she finally answered after a long observation.
Should I tell her I am from another Empire? No. That'll do me no good. The Tartagalia Empire has too many enemies. I can't afford to be killed here before I gather enough information.
Valerian sat up, his back facing the girl. His eyes, however, were fixed on the ocean.
"I was with a trading merchant's fleet," he started.
"But our ship was destroyed by the storm," he continued.
Will this naive girl believe me? If not, I'll have no choice but to kill her.
"I see," the girl simply said.
"Then, will you stay in our kingdom for a while?" she asked.
Valerian's lips parted. Huh? Why is she inviting me? Don't I look strange and creepy enough?
Valerian gritted his teeth, then stood up, brushing the sand from his tunic. He faced the girl.
Her face was expressionless, but her eyes were filled with genuine curiosity.
"I am an outsider. I shouldn't be—" Valerian was cut off.
"So?"
Valerian looked dumbfounded at the audacity of this girl. He didn't know if she was dumb or simply kind enough to let a random stranger into her kingdom.
"Well, I look strange, don't I!? I'll just scare your people away!" he gritted his teeth.
Then he exhaled, realizing he was just venting his anger.
"Forget it. I'll just find a way back ho—"
"Is there anything strange about you?"
Valerian's eyes widened when the girl leaned forward and looked directly into his eyes.
"Huh—"
"There's nothing strange about you. The sun is also setting. If you plan to leave, just leave tomorrow morning." She leaned back without breaking their eye contact.
"Stop being stubborn and just stay for the night," she said, then turned her back to him.
Just who is this girl!? Valerian clenched his fists.
"Are you ordering me!?" he blurted, then instantly regretted it, realizing that wasn't how a merchant would act.
Shit…
The girl did not look back. She simply took a step forward.
"Follow me," she said plainly.
Valerian groaned, but on the other side… there really wasn't anything he could do but check out the town and find a way to buy a new fleet to head home.
When they arrived at the capital of Nexus, Valerian was shocked to see the nobles and the commoners getting along with each other.
He coughed lightly to get Stella's attention.
"Uh… where exactly are we?" he awkwardly asked.
"You are in the Kingdom of Nexus."
Nexus!? So I really am in the enemy's Kingdom! he thought.
I'll definitely die right away if they find out who I am.
He narrowed his eyes in frustration. They eventually stopped at an inn in town. When Stella entered, she was greeted warmly by the staff.
"Princess Stel! How may we help you today?" the owner greeted.
Princess? Valerian arched his brow in confusion, then looked at the girl they called "Stel."
"Give him a room," Stel simply said, lazily pointing her finger toward Valerian.
The owner followed her finger, stared at Valerian for a moment, then simply smiled.
"Right away!" he said, taking a key for a room and placing it on the wooden counter.
"Thank you," Stel said simply. She took the key and looked at Valerian.
"What?" Valerian asked.
Stel just stared at him, as if she were studying a strange creature.
Then she stepped forward and said, "You really have beautiful eyes."
Valerian's lips parted. He took the key from Stel's hand, clicked his tongue, and turned his back without saying anything. Stel only stood there, confused.
When Valerian arrived in his room, he shut the door behind him and stood still for a moment.
"Arrrrghhh!"
"What's with that woman!? My eyes!? Beautiful!?" He tore off his shirt and threw it onto the wooden floor in anger.
"She's crazy! And weird!" he spat.
But the faint flush in his cheeks contradicted his words.
Days went by, but Valerian still couldn't leave since the storm over the ocean refused to calm. He was forced to stay another day in the Kingdom. From time to time, Stel would stop by to check on him.
One moment, Valerian couldn't hold himself back anymore.
"Why are you looking out for me?" he blurted out.
"Because I am the one who found you. I am responsible for you," Stel simply said.
Responsible? What does that even mean…?
Valerian didn't understand. He had never received this kind of kindness in his entire life.
"You know… back home, I—" he started, his voice quiet.
"My family hates me. Of course, I hate them too."
Stel remained silent, listening.
"They all think I look strange… and weird," he muttered, turning his gaze toward the horizon.
"Because I look like this… and I don't represent either of my parents." He forced out a laugh, hollow and bitter.
"I do think you're strange and weird," Stel said without hesitation.
Valerian turned to her, eyes wide. "Aren't you supposed to comfort me?"
Stel let out a sigh, her gaze steady on him. "Because that is what makes us human. To be different, to be weird, to be strange… and to live in that difference. That's what your family doesn't understand."
She paused, her voice softening, almost thoughtful. "They only see what's missing in you—what you don't resemble in them. But they don't see what you are. You carry something they could never have, something they're too blind to notice. People like them can't value what doesn't mirror themselves."
Her lips curved slightly, though not in a smile. "But I've learned something in this kingdom. A person doesn't need to reflect their parents to have worth. They only need to live, to exist, and to keep walking forward even when no one accepts them."
Valerian swallowed hard, his chest tightening. The words were simple, yet no one had ever spoken them to him before.
When the time for Valerian's departure came, Stel lent him a small fleet—enough to carry him safely along the waves.
"Thank you," Valerian said simply, but this time he smiled warmly.
"That's the first time I've seen you smile," Stel noted, her expression as unreadable as always.
Valerian laughed carelessly. "Really?"
"Mm. You should smile more often. It suits you."
A strange warmth stirred in his chest. He tilted his head and said, "I haven't even told you my name yet."
"You're right," Stel replied evenly.
"I am Valerian De Casuevo." He smiled, extending his hand for a shake.
"Stella… Cynthia Yekosta Vasiliou." She reached out and clasped his hand.
Valerian's smile deepened. "See you whenever I see you, Princess." He waved as he stepped onto the ship.
Stella didn't reply. She only stood and watched as the ship cut across the vast ocean.
"I hope not," she murmured, turning her back to the waves.
"If we see each other again, I'm sure it will be as enemies… Prince Valerian." And with that, she left the shore behind.
The end—and the beginning.
The heir Princess of Nexus who loved everything, except him.
And the hated Prince of Tartagalia who hated everything, except her.